The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in
particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the
Developing Countries, the International Development Strategy for the Fourth
United Nations Development Decade, the United Nations New Agenda for the
Development of Africa in the 1990s, the Programme of Action for the Least
Developed Countries for the 1990s, the Cartagena Commitment, Agenda 21, and
the various agreements and conferences that provide an overall policy
framework for sustained economic growth and sustainable development to address
the challenges of the 1990s,
Recalling its resolutions 1995 (XIX) of 30 December 1964, as amended, on
the establishment of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development as
an organ of the General Assembly, 47/183 of 22 December 1992 on the eighth
session of the Conference, and 48/55 of 10 December 1993 and 49/99 of 19
December 1994 on international trade and development,
Welcoming the appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development,
Noting the progress made by the Conference in the implementation of the
outcome of its eighth session, in particular its contribution, within its
mandate, to trade and development,
Emphasizing the importance of an open, rule-based, equitable, secure,
non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable multilateral trading system,
Emphasizing also that a favourable and conducive international economic
and financial environment and a positive investment climate are necessary for
the economic growth of the world economy, including the creation of
employment, in particular for the sustained economic growth and sustainable
development of the developing countries, and emphasizing further that each
country is responsible for its own economic policies for development,
Welcoming the successful conclusion of the Uruguay Round of multilateral
trade negotiations at the Ministerial Meeting of the Trade Negotiations
Committee, held at Marrakesh, Morocco, from 12 to 15 April 1994, and noting
that the Uruguay Round agreements represent a historic achievement, which is
expected to contribute to strengthening the world economy and to lead to more
trade, investment, employment and income growth throughout the world and in
particular to the promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable
development, especially in the developing countries,
Emphasizing the importance of strengthening and attaining a greater
universality of the international trading system and welcoming the process
directed towards the accession to the World Trade Organization of economies in
transition and developing countries that are not members of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, thereby contributing to their rapid and full
integration into the multilateral trading system,
Noting the assessment and recommendations adopted at the Mid-term Global
Review of the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least
Developed Countries for the 1990s, held in New York from 25 September to 6
October 1995,
Noting also that the Uruguay Round agreements should lead, inter alia,
to a substantial liberalization of international trade, the strengthening of
multilateral rules and disciplines to ensure more stability and predictability
in trade relations, and the establishing of rules and disciplines in new
areas, and noting further the founding of a new institutional framework in the
form of the World Trade Organization, with an integrated dispute settlement
mechanism which should prevent the application of unilateral actions against
international trade rules,
Recognizing that the developing countries have made a major contribution
to the success of the Uruguay Round, in particular by accepting the challenges
of trade liberalization reforms and measures, and stressing that there is a
need for positive efforts designed to ensure that developing countries,
especially the least developed among them, secure a share in the growth in
international trade commensurate with their economic development needs,
Recognizing also that the subregional and regional economic integration
processes, including those among developing countries, which have intensified
in recent years, impart substantial dynamism to global trade and enhance trade
and development possibilities for all countries, and stressing that, in order
to maintain the positive aspects of such integration arrangements and to
assure the prevalence of their dynamic growth effects, Member States and
groupings should be outward oriented and supportive of the multilateral
trading system,
Expressing concern about possible adverse effects for the least
developed countries, particularly those in Africa and net food importing
developing countries, arising from the implementation of the Uruguay Round
agreements, as agreed in the Final Act Embodying the Results of the Uruguay
Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, signed at Marrakesh, and recognizing
the need to assist those disadvantaged developing countries so that they
benefit fully from the implementation of the Uruguay Round,
Welcoming the generous offer of the Government of South Africa to act as
host for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development at its ninth
session,
Recognizing the role of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development in identifying and analysing new and emerging issues in the
international trade agenda in accordance with agreed conclusions 410 (XL) of
29 April 1994 of the Trade and Development Board on the Uruguay Round, agreed
conclusions 419 (XLI) of 30 September 1994 of the Board on the Uruguay Round,
and decision 426 (XLII) of 4 May 1995 of the Board, and with the provisional
agenda for the ninth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development,
Noting the importance of the inaugural Ministerial Conference of the
World Trade Organization, to be held in Singapore in December 1996,
Stressing the need to promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate,
access to and the transfer of environmentally sound technologies and the
corresponding know-how in particular to the developing countries, on
favourable terms, including concessional and preferential terms, as mutually
agreed, taking into account the need to protect intellectual property rights,
as well as the special needs of the developing countries in the implementation
of Agenda 21,
Taking note with satisfaction of the recommendation on trade,
environment and sustainable development made by the Commission on Sustainable
Development at its third session, and recognizing, in the spirit of a new
global partnership for sustainable development, the need for a balanced and
integrated approach to environment, trade and development issues,
1. Takes note of the reports of the Trade and Development Board on
the second part of its forty-first session and the first part of its
forty-second session, and calls upon all States to take appropriate action to
implement the outcome of those sessions;
2. Also takes note of the Trade and Development Report, 1995, and
recognizes the contribution such reports have made to the international trade
and development dialogue;
3. Emphasizes the importance of follow-up and monitoring of the
implementation of the policies and measures contained in the Cartagena
Commitment, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
at its eighth session, held at Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, from 8 to 25
February 1992;
4. Stresses the urgent need to continue trade liberalization,
including liberalization through a substantial reduction of tariff and other
barriers to trade, in particular non-tariff barriers, and the elimination of
discriminatory and protectionist practices in international trade relations,
and to improve access to the markets of all countries, in particular those of
the developed countries, so as to generate sustained economic growth and
sustainable development;
5. Also stresses the need for the full integration of the economies
in transition, as well as other countries, into the world economy, in
particular through improved market access for their exports and elimination of
discriminatory tariff and non-tariff measures and further liberalization of
their trade regimes, including vis-a-avis developing countries, and recognizes
in this respect the importance of open regional economic integration of
interested economies in transition among themselves as well as with developed
and/or developing countries in creating new possibilities for expanding trade
and investment;
6. Further stresses the importance of the timely and full
implementation of the agreements contained in the Final Act Embodying the
Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations and the
significance of the entering into force on 1 January 1995 of the Agreement
Establishing the World Trade Organization;
7. Emphasizes the importance of the full and continuing
implementation of the provisions contained in the Final Act that confer
special and differential treatment for developing countries, including
decisions giving special attention to the situation of the least developed
countries and the net food-importing developing countries;
8. Notes the work that has been undertaken jointly and separately by
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade
Organization on the impact of the Uruguay Round on developing countries, and
looks forward to the integration of this analysis into discussions, including
those at ministerial conferences;
9. Invites the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development at
its ninth session to transmit its assessment of challenges and opportunities
arising from the Uruguay Round agreements from a development perspective to
the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization;
10. Emphasizes the need for continued review and evaluation of the
implementation of the Uruguay Round agreements to ensure that the benefits of
the evolving multilateral trade system promote sustained economic growth and
sustainable development;
11. Also emphasizes the significance of the Ministerial Conference of
the World Trade Organization, to be held in Singapore in December 1996, in
helping to set the future direction of a rule-based multilateral trading
system;
12. Deplores any attempt to bypass or undermine multilaterally agreed
measures of trade liberalization, through resort to unilateral actions over
and above those agreed to in the Uruguay Round, and reaffirms that
environmental and social concerns should not be used for protectionist
purposes;
13. Notes the work of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development on trade and environment, in particular the outcome of its Ad Hoc
Working Group on Trade, Environment and Development, and also notes the work
of the Committee on Trade and Environment of the World Trade Organization;
14. Also notes the progress achieved by the joint United Nations
Environment Programme/United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
programme in the consideration of trade and environment issues, and invites
the two organizations to continue their work in accordance with paragraph 59
of chapter I of the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its
third session;
15. Reaffirms the need as a matter of priority to implement the
Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s, taking
into account the assessment and recommendations adopted at the Mid-term Global
Review of the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least
Developed Countries for the 1990s, held in New York from 25 September to 6
October 1995;
16. Emphasizes the urgent need for assistance to African countries,
inter alia, for evaluation of the impact of the Final Act Embodying the
Results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations and to enable
them to identify and implement adaptive measures to enhance their
competitiveness;
17. Requests preference-giving countries to improve their preferential
schemes, and invites the 1996 policy review of the generalized system of
preferences to examine possible adaptations to the system, taking into account
paragraphs 134 to 140 of the Cartagena Commitment, as well as the results of
the Uruguay Round;
18. Reaffirms the role that the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development has been playing as the focal point within the United Nations for
the integrated treatment of development and interrelated issues in the areas
of trade, finance, technology, investment, services and sustainable
development and, within this context, stresses that there should be
constructive and effective cooperation between the Conference and the World
Trade Organization, based on the complementarity of their functions;
19. Decides to enable the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development to discharge its mandate, thereby making it a more effective and
efficient instrument for promoting development;
20. Recognizes that the Conference at its ninth session will, inter
alia, consider its future role, including its relationship with other
international institutions, to generate synergies among them and, on the basis
of its mandate and with a view to strengthening the United Nations system, the
ninth session should enable the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development to become a more effective instrument for promoting development;
21. Invites the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to
consider, in close cooperation with other competent organizations, new and
emerging issues in the international trade agenda, taking into account the new
multilateral trade framework, with a view to fostering international
consensus- building among Member States in such areas as trade and environment
and competition policy, and, in this regard, recognizes the role of the
Conference in preparing the background work and consensus-building on such
issues in accordance with agreed conclusions 410 (XL) and 419 (XLI) and
decision 426 (XLII) of the Trade and Development Board;
22. Also invites the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development, in close cooperation with other competent organizations, to
follow developments in the international trading system, in particular their
implications for developing countries, and to identify new trading
opportunities arising from the implementation of the Uruguay Round agreements
so as to provide information and technical support with a view to facilitating
the integration of those countries into the system and to assist them in
taking full advantage of new trading opportunities, in accordance with agreed
conclusions 410 (XL) of the Trade and Development Board;
23. Requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to
monitor, analyse and review the development of trade between economies in
transition and developing countries and to recommend appropriate measures for
its revival, thus contributing to the strengthening of the multilateral
trading system;
24. Welcomes the measures taken by the secretariats of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade Organization
and invites them to continue to develop their working relationship, mutual
cooperation and complementarity;
25. Emphasizes the importance to the international trading system of
the inclusion in multilateral trade agreements of all countries that are not
members of the World Trade Organization, and urges the international community
to assist appropriately and adequately those countries that are not members of
the World Trade Organization in the steps towards acceding to that
Organization;
26. Requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
and invites the World Trade Organization, in accordance with their respective
mandates and competence and in close cooperation with other competent United
Nations bodies and the regional commissions, to address trade and environment
matters comprehensively and to report, through the Commission on Sustainable
Development, to the Economic and Social Council and to the General Assembly at
its special session in 1997 on the concrete progress achieved on the issue of
trade and environment;
27. Also requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development to continue its special role in the field of trade and
environment, including analytical and empirical work, conceptual and empirical
studies, policy analysis, and consensus-building, with a view to ensuring
transparency and coherence in making environmental and trade policies mutually
supportive, taking into account the need for continuing close cooperation and
complementarity in the work of the Conference, the United Nations Environment
Programme and the World Trade Organization;
28. Further requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development to focus and intensify, where necessary, its technical assistance
in the light of the Uruguay Round agreements, in cooperation with relevant
international organizations, in particular the International Trade Centre and
the World Trade Organization, with the aim of increasing the capacities of
developing countries, especially the least developed countries, African
countries, and small island developing States, so that they may participate
effectively in the international trading system;
29. Requests the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to
continue to provide technical assistance to economies in transition, bearing
in mind the needs of developing countries, in particular with regard to their
full integration into the multilateral trading system, so as to contribute to
the expansion of their external trade, inter alia, with developing countries.